When you see a doctor, you trust they’ll figure out what’s wrong with you and give you the right medicine or treatment. Making a mistake can cause significant problems, especially if they don’t take care of a serious sickness or injury.
If you or a family member in Reading, Pennsylvania, has been misdiagnosed by a healthcare provider, you can pursue legal action.
Top Rated Reading Medical Malpractice Lawyers
Dealing with a misdiagnosis often brings both physical pain and mental pain. You put your trust in your medical provider, believing they’ll take care of you, and instead, they fail to deliver the care you need. At Munley Law, we understand that along with legal advice, you need a team that genuinely cares about your well-being. We have decades of experience with medical malpractice cases and are dedicated to seeking justice for individuals in Reading and across Pennsylvania.
Our Reading medical malpractice attorneys have a proven track record in handling medical malpractice claims. We know how to handle these challenging cases and go up against hospitals, insurance companies, and large healthcare providers, working to make sure you receive fair compensation for the medical bills, lost wages, and emotional pain caused by misdiagnosis.
The Importance of Timely, Correct Diagnoses
Accurate diagnosis is critical to receiving proper medical treatment. When a condition is diagnosed correctly and early, it can often be treated more effectively. For example, early cancer detection may offer more proper treatment options and a better chance of recovery. On the other hand, a mistake or delayed diagnosis could lead to substandard care, worsening health, unnecessary treatments, or even death.
For this reason, healthcare providers must follow established standards of care to ensure they provide an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible. Doctors must listen to their patients, take their symptoms seriously, order the proper tests, and correctly understand the results.
Consequences of Misdiagnosis Leading to Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
Some expected outcomes of misdiagnosis include:
- Worsening of the underlying condition: A wrong or missed diagnosis means your illness or health condition keeps worsening, sometimes to a point where it’s much harder to treat.
- Unnecessary treatment: If you’re treated for the wrong thing, you might end up with treatments or medications that don’t help but could hurt you.
- Emotional distress: Finding out you’ve been misdiagnosed can be a tough pill to swallow, leaving you feeling scared, frustrated, and unsure of what to do next.
- Financial burden: Misdiagnosis often means extra medical bills, unnecessary treatments, and missed work, all of which can be very costly.
How Medical Errors Can Lead to Misdiagnosis in Reading, PA
Misdiagnosis frequently stems from medical mistakes. These errors can occur at any stage of the diagnostic process, and when they happen, the impact on the patient can be devastating. Some typical medical care errors that contribute to misdiagnosis include:
Misinterpretation of Test Results
Doctors use diagnostic tests like blood work, MRIs, and X-rays to treat a patient. However, if those test results are misread, important details about the patient’s medical condition could be overlooked. Misreading these results can lead to the wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment.
Failure to Order Necessary Tests
Sometimes, doctors don’t order the tests needed to confirm or rule out a specific condition because they overlook something or underestimate how serious the symptoms are. Without the proper tests, the doctor might be unsure of what’s wrong, which can be risky.
Miscommunication Between Providers
Healthcare often involves a team of doctors, nurses, and specialists working together to provide care. When communication breaks down between medical professionals, important details about a patient’s condition or test results may be overlooked. For example, if one doctor doesn’t inform another about abnormal test results, the patient’s care could suffer.
Disregard for Patient Symptoms
If a healthcare provider disregards or dismisses a patient’s symptoms, they could miss critical warning signs of a serious illness. This happens all too often, especially when doctors assume a patient is exaggerating or being overly anxious. A healthcare provider’s failure to take symptoms seriously can lead to incorrect diagnosis and delayed treatment.
Is Misdiagnosis Always Medical Malpractice in Reading?
Not every misdiagnosis qualifies as a medical malpractice issue. To prove medical malpractice in a misdiagnosis case, you must show the healthcare provider’s actions fell below the accepted standard of care. In other words, the doctor must have acted in a way that a reasonably competent doctor would not have under similar circumstances.
For example, if a doctor reasonably followed all the right steps but still missed a correct diagnosis due to a rare or complicated condition, it may not be considered malpractice. However, if the doctor fails to diagnose due to carelessness or lack of attention, that could be grounds for a medical negligence lawsuit.
Who Is at Fault for Medication Errors?
Medication errors are a common result of medical misdiagnosis. If a doctor misdiagnoses your condition, they may prescribe the wrong medication, causing harm. But doctors aren’t the only ones who can be at fault for medication errors. Pharmacists, nurses, and even hospitals can make mistakes that lead to the wrong medication being given to a patient.
Sometimes, a miscommunication between doctors and pharmacists can result in a patient receiving the wrong medication. A nurse might administer the incorrect drug or amount due to unclear instructions. These errors can have devastating consequences, especially if the patient has an allergy or other condition that makes them vulnerable to certain medications.
Contact a Misdiagnosis Attorney in Reading for Help
If a misdiagnosis has harmed you, you should take action immediately. Medical malpractice cases are often complicated, and gathering the necessary evidence to support your claim can take a while. The experienced medical malpractice attorneys at Munley Law have the skills and knowledge to investigate your claim and determine who is responsible for your misdiagnosis.
We’re committed to holding negligent care providers accountable and ensuring you receive the financial compensation you deserve. Whether you’re facing mounting medical bills, lost wages, or the emotional toll of a misdiagnosis, we’re here to help so you can focus on your health and recovery. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation to discuss your medical misdiagnosis lawsuit.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
606 Court St.
Reading, PA 19601
(610) 831-4234
